Tampon and applicator



July 27, 1965 J. C. BLETZINGER ETAL TAMPON AND APPLICATOR Filed Aug. 27, 1962 rpm."

United States Patent C 3,196,873 TAMPON AND APPLICATOR John "C. Bletzinger, Neenah, and Howard .A. Whitehead,

Appleton, Win, assignors to Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Neenah, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 27, 1962, Ser- No. 219,384 3 Claims. ((1 128-263) This invention relates to improvements in catamenial tampons and more specifically to tampons employing a tubular applicator and requiring directional insertion for optimum results.

An important object of the invention is to provide an improved tubular applicator adapted accurately to position a tampon in predetermined orientation within the vaginal canal.

Another object is to provide an improved tubular applicator permitting the directional insertion of a compressed tampon of generally cylindrical configuration but adapted when wet anatomically to conform tothe transverse shape of the vaginal canal.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon examination of the drawings and description, as will various modifications and adaptations of the concepts herein taught.

In the drawings, in which like parts are identified by the same reference numerals,

FIG. 1 illustrates in perspective a tampon and a tube type applicator, each incorporating the inventive concept.

FIG. 1a shows a tampon pledget prior to being compressed into cylindrical configuration as illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5 illustrate in perspective tampons and applicators incorporating various modifications of the invention.

Tubular tampon applicators are well known and perform satisfactorily for insertion of non-directional type tampons within the vaginal canal. The present invention is directed specifically to improved tampon applicators of the tubular type but adapted for the directional insertion of a generally cylindrical anatomically designed tampon which upon fluid expansion conforms to the configuration of the vaginal canal.

The present invention has particular utility when employed in association with an anatomically designed tampon resulting from the compression into cylindrical form of .a tampon pledget of the general configuration shown at it) in FIG. 1a. A co-pending patent application filed August 27, 1963, Serial No. 219,695, by Howard A. Whitehead, a co-inventor of the present concept, teaches a method of fabricating tampons from p-ledgets of sponge material contoured as in FIG. 1a. Following compression of the pledget 19, which may comprise a relatively thick keystone shaped blank 12 of sponge or foam material, blank 12 is drawn into a dog-bone configuration in transverse section by one or more threads 20 sewn along the longitudinal axis thereof to maintain the desired configuration. As taught in said co-pending application, the pledget ltl is then compressed into cylindrical form and thereafter transferred into a cartridge-like tubular body portion of an applicator. The present invention is direct-ed to improvements in tubular applicators of the type adapted to house highly compressed cylindrical ibatts formed from and fluid expandable into anatomically contoured pledgets.

3 ,873 Patented July 27, 1965 ice FIG. 1 illustrates in perspective and partially cut away the combination of an improved tubular telescopic type applicator 16 consisting of a cartridge-like element :18 adapted to receive a compressed tampon batt, and a telescopically associated tubular plunger element 20 for ejection of a housed tampon batt from cartridge .18 after insertion in the vaginal canal. FIG. 1 shows a highly compressed fluid absorbent batt .22 spaced from a cartridgelike applicator portion 18, it being understood that batt G2 which has been formed by compressing into cylindrical form the pledget 10 of FIG. 1a, is adapted to be completely received and housed in portion 1'8.

FIG. 1 shows cylindrical batt 22 provided with a pair of diametrically disposed and axially extending guide channels 24, 26. Cartridge-like applicator portion 18 is internally provided with a pair of diametrically disposed and axially extending guide ribs 28, 30 positioned for registry with the tampon guide channels 24, 26 with batt 2.2 snugly disposed in applicator portion 18. The combination of ribs and guide channels effectively prevents relative rotation of batt 22 within tubular applicator portion 18 while permitting relative axial movement therebetween.

The FIG. 1 structure also illustrates the tubular plunger portion 20 of applicator 16 provided with a pair of diametrically disposed and axially extending guide channels 32, '34 positioned for slidable association with the internal cartridge ribs 28, 30, respectively, to prevent relative rota-tion between tampon plunger 20 and portion 18 in which batt 22 is housed. It is not essential, however, that the plunger be constrained from rotating within the batt containing cartridge portion 18. During use the right hand end of tampon 16 is first inserted into the body. The opposite end of the cartridge-like tube 18 is provided at 36 with an aperture or with some other touch sensitive or visual indicating means whereby cartridge portion 1'8 may be maintained in a predetermined optimum position either during or after insertion. With tampon applicator -16 properly positioned within the vaginal canal, ejection of batt 22 by the depression of ejector tube 20 is eitected in the absence of relative rotation between batt 22 and cartridge 18, thus insuring the proper positioning Within the body of the compressed batt 22. When wet, the batt reexpand-s to the configuration of FIG. 1a and is properly positioned within the users body to insure optimum eilectiveness and comfort.

The concept, as incorporated in the structure of FIGS. 1 and 1a, is subject to numerous alterations. FIG. 2 illustrates in enlarged perspective the tampon batt and cartridge shown in FIG. 1 wherein the batt is externally tfluted and the cartridge is internally ribbed.

FIG. 3 illustrates a cartridge 18a internally fluted by depression of the cartridge side walls after formation.

FIG. 4 illustrates a tampon batt 22c and an associated cartridge 18c, batt 220 being externally fluted in a somewhat different manner than shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and cartridge 18c being internally ribbed in a manner to complement the fluting of batt 220.

FIG. 5 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the invention wherein a compressed tampon batt 22d is providcd with an axially ribbed area confined to a portion of the circumference of the batt and cartridge 18d is provided internally with similar ribs for the complemental reception of the batt 22d.

We claim:'

1. In a device for the directional placement of a tubeenclosed preshaped tampon in the vaginal canal including a cylindrical tubular applicator, a plunger element and a compressed :batt of preshaped fluid absorbent material disposed in predetermined orientation within said applicator, the improvement comprising means associated with said applicator to prevent relative rotation of said batt within said applicator 'while permitting axial ejection therefrom whereby said tampon may be directionally positioned in the vaginal canal, said means consisting of an axially extending rib on the interior wall of said applicator tube and a complementa-l axially extending groove on the exterior of said batt for registered complemental engagement with said rib, said tube also including exterior indicator means for positioning thereof during batt ejection.

2. The device of claim 1 in which the rotation preventing means in said applicator consists of a plurality of axially extending ribs on said interior wall and a plurality of matching axially extending grooves on the exterior of said b-att.

3. The device of claim 1 in which the plunger element is a close fitting tube having on its exterior wall a complemental groove for registration with the interior rib in said applicator, said plunger element also having exterior indicator means for positioning during use.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,458,685 1/49 Crockford 128-263 8,068,867 12/ 62 Bletzinger et a1. 128-285 3,085,574 4/63 Penksa 128-235 3,101,713 8/63 Sargent 128--263 RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Examiner. 

1. IN A DEVICE FOR THE DIRECTIONAL PLACEMENT OF A TUBEENCLOSED PRESHAPED TAMPON IN THE VAGINAL CANAL INCLUDING A CYLINDRICAL TUBULAR APPLICATOR, A PLUNGER ELEMENT AND A COMPRESSED BATT OF PRESHAPED FLUID ABSORBENT MATERIAL DISPOSED IN PREDETERMINED ORIENTATION WITHIN SAID APPLICATOR, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID APPLICATOR TO PREVENT RELATIVE ROTATION OF SAID BATT WITHIN SAID APPLICATOR WHILE PERMITTING AXIAL EJECTION THEREFROM WHEREBY SAID TAMPON MAY BER DIRECTIONALLY POSITIONED IN THE VAGINAL CANAL, SAID MEANS CONSISTING OF AN AXIALLY EXTENDING RIB ON THE INTERIOR WALL OF SAID APPLICATOR TUBE AND A COMPLEMENTAL AXIALLY EXTENDING GROOVE ON THE EXTERIOR OF SAID BATT FOR REGISTERED COMPLEMENTAL ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID RIB, SAID TUBE ALSO INCLUDING EXTERIOR INDICATOR MEANS FOR POSITIONING THEREOF DURING BATT EJECTION. 